


Sunshine Riptide

by stayfrostyrmt



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 14:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23044633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stayfrostyrmt/pseuds/stayfrostyrmt
Summary: FOB fanfic where you delve into their lives outside of just the band, and do flashbacks to their teen years





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

October 2013

Joe sighed as he walked into the Starbucks letting the door close behind him quietly. He didn’t really want anyone to notice he was there, he was hoping since he was at home in Chicago though that people might not care as much as they would if he was out in a city him and the band were on tour in. Not that too many people would notice him by himself, he usually only got noticed if he was with Patrick or Pete.

He ordered a plain coffee, he didn’t want much more, he needed all the caffeine he could get. He hadn’t got much sleep since he was at the studio until really late recording some guitar parts and had only gone home and gotten a few hours of sleep before a phone call from Patrick woke him up asking which version of a lyric with background vocals he preferred more. He hadn’t been able to sleep much since then, which he was okay with. 

He was minding his own business not paying too much attention to anyone near him or around him, in his own head thinking about things he was going to propose to the guys for their new songs. He had been constantly thinking about ideas and how to bring them to the table because his band mates were actually interested this time around in ideas coming from him.

He hadn’t bothered to pull back his hair that morning. It was getting longer than it had been, brushing it more trying to get rid of the curls so it was longer than it normally looked. He suddenly hated his mistake because his hair kept falling into his eyes. 

Between not being able to see because of his hair, and not paying any attention at all to anything, he was shocked when he heard something hit the floor and felt cold all over his shoes. He looked down at the ground and audibly sighed when he noticed a spilled drink with ice cubes scattered all over the floor.

“Fuck…” Joe grumbled running his hand through his hair.

He hadn’t felt himself walk into anyone, or hadn’t even realized anyone was around him at all. He bent down to start helping clean it up, when the woman who he walked into looked up at him with the cup in her hand, her black lace-up boots covered in coffee and ice.

She squinted through her black framed glasses at him confused and angry. He was about to start apologizing when he noticed her eyes go wide in shock. Her mouth started to gape open in surprise and shock as she started to stand back up. Joe followed her raising his eyebrow at her.

“Trohman?” She asked looking at him curiously.

He knew right away who it was as soon as he saw her but, he hadn’t wanted to say anything since he had no idea if she actually would talk to him. He was surprised that she had to question who he was though. He hadn’t changed all that much since she had seen him last. He was a bit taller maybe, probably weighed a bit more, definitely had longer hair and probably looked more tired. He knew he looked a lot more tired. He just looked at her with his eyebrow still raised. If he said he hadn’t thought about her every single day since he'd seen her last, he’d be lying. Their friend Dani had given him her number multiple times in hopes he’d call during a tour or when he couldn’t sleep… or just any time at all. His hang up for the last several years was that he didn’t try harder with their friendship after she moved away. All he wanted to do most days was talk to her, but he couldn’t let himself do it. He didn’t want to let her down. 

But Dani had never told him she was in town at all. That they’d actually have a chance of running into each other. Not that you’d just normally run into someone in Chicago, especially in a Starbucks. If he believed in stars aligning right now would be the time. 

“Stella?” He said, the name barely escaping from his mouth, his lisp stronger than normal. His stomach fluttered when he heard himself say it. 

“Ohmygod it is you!” Stella said excitedly throwing her hands in the air, “How did this…” she questioned shaking her head, “Forget that, you owe me a coffee.”

She crossed her arms tapping her foot with a serious look on her face. She tried to keep a straight face before she burst into giggles.

“You really don’t.” Stella shook her head, “I mean it’s just a coffee.”

“Ice coffee with nonfat milk sweetened right?” Joe asked reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

“Joe honestly…” Stella shook her head, “Lets just sit down and talk.”

Joe ignored her, running a hand through his hair before quickly ordering a new ice coffee for her. He walked back to her after a few minutes holding it out to her. She smiled and took it from him and sighed. She walked over to the open sofa, Joe following her and sitting down beside her, faced towards her.

They looked down at their coffees for a minute before speaking. Stella was the first one to try to talk, but pulled back and started sipping on her drink as a way of distraction. 

“I’m sorry.” Joe sighed pushing his hair away from his face. His lisp was strong again as he scratched his chin.

“About the coffee? Joe… it’s fine, it’s just coffee.” Stella shook her head smiling. Her smile faded a bit when Joe just looked at her.

“About every… thing…” Joe sighed, looking down at his feet.

Stella stopped smiling and shook her head, “Way to ruin the fun Joe.” She adjusted her glasses and leaned her elbows onto her knees, “That could have waited.”

Joe leaned on his knees with his elbows the exact same way getting excruciatingly close to her face with his own, “We can talk about it later… not in Starbucks… but I just wanted to say sorry.”

Stella nodded her head, still leaning into Joe. She looked at him, their eyes locking. She felt her stomach flip. He looked so good, there was no denying that. She had seen what he looked like a bit through the years no thanks to Dani who kept her semi updated about Joe’s life in the band. She didn’t know he had long hair, she had never seen him with that long of hair. And his eyes looked more blue than she ever remembered them being. She looked away from him and started sipping on her coffee again.

“How did you ever remember my coffee order?” Stella asked looking back at him, shocked that he was still looking at her.

“Because you almost always got the same thing.” Joe rolled his eyes, “You don’t forget your best friends coffee order.”

“Not in all those years?” Stella smirked raising her eyebrow, “A lot has happened in that time.”

“Not enough to make me forget your coffee order.” Joe cleared his throat, rubbing his palms on his knee, “I didn’t know you were coming back home.”

Stella took a big breath and sighed. She looked out the window that was across from them than back at Joe before smoothing a hand over her hair, “I had intended to… it just depended if I was busy with work or not. I didn’t really have anything come up this time so I was able to make it back for a bit.”

“How long are you back for?” Joe asked curiously taking a drink of his coffee, “And I can help get your boots fixed if they need to be.”

Stella looked down at her boots and shrugged, “I’m here for about a week… what about you?”

“We’re not going anywhere for awhile. We’re working on writing and then recording an album.” Joe nodded as his phone started to ring. He rolled his eyes and looked at Stella apologetically as she told him to pick it up, “Dani… what can I help you with? I’m in the middle of an important meeting.”

“Meeting?” Dani asked shocked, “I didn’t… I was just going to ask if you were still coming Saturday.”

“Of course I’m fucking coming on Saturday! I wouldn’t miss it for anything…” Joe trailed off looking back at Stella, “Want me to ask Stells if she’s still coming?”

“Damnit Joe!” Dani sighed, “I know you’re not speaking to her for whatever reason you think is good this month…”

Joe looked at Stella who just nodded her head, putting her knees together leaning on them again looking at him curiously. She patted his knee and leaned her shoulder against his arm quickly. 

“She said she’s coming.” Joe said nonchalantly elbowing Stella back.

“Whaaaat…” Dani said confused, “Did you finally call her?”

“Noooo.” Joe laughed and sighed, “I’m with her right now.”

“You are not.” Dani laughed.

“I am fucking so!” Joe exclaimed laughing, “Say hi Stella.”

“Ummm… hi Stella…” Stella whispered into the phone.

“Holy shit…” Dani coughed, “If I wasn’t just about to go into a meeting I would ask what the hell is happening… I’ll have to find out later.”

Before Joe could say anything back Dani was off the phone and he was left just holding it in his hands. He put it back in the pocket of his jean jacket and shrugged.

“There’s got to be somewhere better to talk than here…” Joe trailed off looking at Stella as if she’d know the answer to his question.

“Ummm… well…” Stella trailed off biting her lip. She stood up brushing off her pants and looked down at Joe, “We could go to that one park by our old houses if it still exists.” 

Joe looked up at the ceiling thinking about it and nodded, “I’m pretty sure it’s still there but the swing set and everything else is gone.” Joe stayed silent for a minute as he thought, “Want to get a proper breakfast? I was up way too late last night and up way too early this morning.”

“I mean… yeah… yeah we can do that.” Stella said looking down at her clothes, “I wasn’t really prepared to go out for breakfast or anything…”

“Stells… first of all it’s just me… so it’s no big deal. But also, you couldn’t look any more amazing in the morning if you tried.”

Luckily Joe was facing away from her when he closed his eyes, not believing what he had just said. It was complicated, and he properly hadn't seen her in 12 years and this was the impression he was leaving on her. Things, at least for him, hadn’t felt like they had changed all that much between them, yet he knew that at the exact same time a lot had changed. He wanted to joke around with her and laugh with her, but he knew at some point a conversation would have to happen about how they left things with each other.

*****  
They had found their way to Wildberry Pancakes and were sitting in a mostly secluded booth so they could talk and eat. It wasn’t very full anymore and since the waitress that seated them recognized Joe they gave them their best booth and said they’d try their hardest not to sit anyone near them.

They had talked about music mostly all the way there, discussing their old favourite bands and their new favourite artists, with Joe even talking about artists that had toured with them. Now that they were sitting with their food in front of them, neither of them had touched it, but just poked their forks at it. Joe looked up and noticed Stella already looking at him.

“Joe…” Stella trailed off looking at him. She raked her hands through her hair waiting for his reaction.

“I…” Joe cleared his throat biting his lip, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too Trohman.” Stella sighed. She shut her eyes and gulped, “I missed you so much. And it’s not anyone’s…”

“It is my fault.” Joe said quieting his voice, his lisp getting stronger again, “I’ll take complete ownership of it.”

“How is it your fault?” Stella asked shaking her head, “I could have called or wrote. Or shit I could have sent something to your parents house… I know that address.”

“I know where your parents live too.” Joe sighed shaking his hair out of his eyes, “I didn’t want to hurt you.” 

“Hurt me?” Stella asked confused, “I don’t know if I understand…”

“The touring and the not being around. I didn’t want you to feel like I wasn’t there for you, or paying attention to you… I didn’t want you to think I was forgetting you.” Joe but his lip and looked down at his hands.

“I wouldn’t have thought any of that..” Stella sighed looking at Joe’s hands as he fiddled with his fingers, “Do you smoke still?”

“Yeah…” Joe cleared his throat, “I’ve tried to quit a few times.” He coughed slightly and looked at the ceiling, “I just didn’t know how much I’d be around or how much I’d be able to come and visit you or spend time with you. Or bring you up here to spend time with me.”

“Joe…” Stella trailed off. She could tell by how bad his lisp was getting that he was starting to get worked up and frustrated. 

She reached over and put her hand on top of his causing him to look back up at her. His blue eyes looked sad and tired, like he had been thinking over what to say for so many years and saying it was difficult for him. She knew instantly there was way more he wanted to say but couldn’t get it out.

“You can’t blame yourself.” Stella said reaching back for his hand as he pulled it away, “you had a lot going on, there was so much going on in your life. You had high school and all of the band stuff and it was pulling you in so many directions and you had to let go of something.” 

“But I didn’t want that something to be you.” Joe said after a long silence. He reached in his pocket starting to play with the lighter in his other hand. He nervously twirled it through his fingers as he leaned back in his chair more.

“I could have tried more too. It just didn’t have to be you. I got carried away with college and some other things and then my job happened.” Stella shrugged, “But we’re sitting here talking right now… by complete coincidence and accident.” 

Joe looked down at their hands and sighed. He looked back up at Stella and nervously bit his lip. He turned his hand over and laced his fingers through hers. He gulped again feeling his heart speed up as she squeezed his fingers. They looked at each other at the same time, both of their faces turning a bit red. They continued holding hands not pulling them away from each other.

“I just need to know if you’re mad at me.” Joe sighed running his thumb over her fingers. It caused Stella to look up at him kind of shocked.

“Would I still be sitting here if I was?” She asked squeezing his hand tightly again.


	2. Chapter 2

Dani hung up her phone and jumped up from her desk, grabbing her binder and heading out the door of her office. She had almost made it to the conference room when the sound of heels clicking quickly down the hall after her, and her name being called.

“Dani, I'm glad I caught you!” Mary sighed.

She turned around and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the admin standing right next to Patrick. His hands were in the front pockets of his skinny jeans, a t-shirt hidden under his oversized cardigan. He bit his lip in the frustratingly adorable way he always did as he pulled his hand out to give her a small wave.

She struggled to find her breath as she remembered that she was still staring silently. She cleared her throat as she played with the chain around her neck that held her glasses. 

“I wasn't expecting you.”

“I thought I'd surprise you, and not give you the opportunity to turn me away.”

She looked behind her. “I'm just heading to a meeting. Can I call you later? We can have coffee?”

His shoulders slumped, but he kept a smile as he nodded. “Sure, of course.”

“Thank you! I'm sorry, I've got to run.” She turned on her heels and headed off to her meeting, without waiting for a response.

Through the meeting she nervously clicked her pen, trying to keep her focus as her mind raced. She couldn't shake memory of the last time she saw him. The night, 5 years into their relationship, when he told her he couldn't marry her until he had lived life alone and tested the waters. She had been visiting him on tour and when she left the last thing she said to him was “when you realize that this is what you wanted all along, don't call me because I won't be there,” and as much as it pained her, she meant it.

She blocked his number, moved out while he was still out on tour and tried not to look back, although the internet and their closely connected circle of friends often made it difficult. For the first time in her adult life she shifted her focus away from someone else's life and their career to her own. She finished college and got a job she loved, reconnected with old friends, made new ones and generally moved on. And she was convinced that no one could tell how much she missed him or how often she debated calling him up in the middle of the night, when she knew he'd be awake, fooling around on Garageband. 

The more she had weighed his words, the more she started to realize that he had been right. They had been together since they were 15 years old, it was them against the words and they weren't equipped to deal with anything resembling real life. They needed time alone to figure out who they were as people before they could commit to forever or else they would risk imploding.

Then one night, out of the blue, she got a call from an unknown number and decided to answer it.

“Please don't hang up, I come in peace.” his voice was tentative, she could tell he was grimacing, just waiting on her response.

“What do you want Patrick?”

“Just to hear your voice say anything other than your voicemail greeting, even if it is ‘fuck off Patrick.’”

“Fuck off Patrick.”

“Fair enough…”

She immediately jumped back in. “Did you take someone's phone to call me?”

He laughed. “No, it's my new one, it's a funny story.”

“I’m listening.”

“A fan somehow got ahold of my number and posted it on Tumblr. It was a very long night.”

She couldn't help but laugh. “That sounds like a nightmare.” Her comment was met with silence. “Did you hang up already?”

“I'm here, I missed your laugh.”

“Fuck off Patrick, not tonight.” She wasn't ready to go there yet.

Taking the queue he changed the subject, asking about her family and friends and what she had been doing over the past couple of years; avoiding the elephant in the room and just enjoying talking to each other again. That night they chatted for hours, until they couldn't keep their eyes open.

Dani cleared her head and focused back on her meeting. As soon as it was over she closed up her binder and stepped back into the hallway, only to spot Patrick sitting on the floor, legs crossed and face in his phone, likely responding to the thousands of emails he always seemed to have.

He quickly jumped to his feet as he saw her. “Mary told me there's a cafe just over in the lobby, do you have time for a coffee?”

“You waited an hour to ask me to coffee?”

He nodded. “I flew all the way here for you, an hour is a drop in the bucket.”

She nudged his shoulder. “Don't be sentimental, Stumph. Come on, let's get coffee.”

“Are we ever going to talk about it?” He asked as he quickened his pace to catch up to her.

She crossed her arms, but didn't stop walking. “What exactly do you want to talk about?”

“I want to talk about how much I missed you, and how my heart still races every time I think about you, and about how you look like a sexy librarian right now and it's REALLY distracting.” He spat the words out quickly, as the thoughts crossed his mind.

She looked around, making sure no one had heard him as she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to a table at the corner of the room, pushing him into a chair. “Sit here, I'll get us coffee, try not to say anything embarrassing until I get back.”

He nodded and sat back into the chair, making himself comfortable as she went and grabbed two coffees. She sat one down in front of him as she took the seat across from him. 

“Joe ran into Stella at a coffee shop.”

“High school Stella?”

She nodded. “She's here for the party, staying at my place.”

“Where is your place?” He leaned in, his eyebrows raising in curiosity.

“Near here. Are you staying with your parents?”

He shook his head. “No, I got myself a condo down here a couple years ago just so I have an excuse not to stay with them every time I come to town.”

“Smart. So what happened to the blonde hair and fingerless gloves, did you decide to leave those at home today?”

He laughed before taking a sip of his coffee. “You caught a glimpse of that guy, huh?”

“He was hard to miss.”

He shrugged. “That was just a phase. It was fun to be really outgoing and the center of attention….for a while at least.” She could see in his eyes that there was a lot of emotions surrounding that experience, but he knew better than to go into details.

“I might be biased but I like this guy better.”

“Even after everything he did to you?”

“It hurt like hell when you broke up with me, but you weren't wrong. We wouldn't have survived the way we were going, I just wasn't ready for it to end so abruptly. We grew up together, you were my best friend and then you were gone.” She could feel her eyes beginning to water and immediately took a deep breath before standing up. “I need to get back to work.”

He reached his hand out to grab hers. “I'm sorry Dani, I didn't mean to do this right now. We can pretend it never happened. Don't go.”

She pulled her hand back. “I really have to be going. I'll call you.”

Without another word she walked away. Immediately heading to her office for some privacy. She pulled out her phone and texted Stella ‘S.O.S. I saw Patrick. Call when you can.’ Before she could hit send she deleted the message, not wanting to interrupt whatever was going on between her friend and Joe. She dropped her head to her desk.

This man was going to be the death of her.


	3. Chapter 3

Apparently Stella had automatically signed up for a whole day of hanging out with Joe, not that she had minded, she had nothing else to do since Dani was at work all day. Her only plan for the day was to sit around and try to sleep or relax. She was tired after pulling a few all nighters before she came back to Chicago to ensure she wouldn’t have to do that much work, if any at all while she was there.

After breakfast they had walked to Millennium Park and sat on one of the walking bridge overhangs with their feet dangling off the bridge. Joe had taken a few puffs of a cigarette before putting it out and sighing.

Stella kicked her feet against the walking bridge and sighed, “Tell me what’s been going on? We have 12 years to cover.”

“Do you have five years for me to tell you?” Joe laughed shaking his head, “I was in a band, then I wasn’t in a band, then I was in a new band, then another new band… then the first band again.”

Stella turned to him completely sarcastically, “Wait… Fall Out Boy broke up and got back together?” 

“Yeaaaah… I mean some stuff happened. Pete and Patrick went through some shit, I was going through some shit. The only one that really wasn’t, was Andy.” Joe shrugged, “But I mean eventually we got it all figured out.”

“I don’t remember if Dani ever told me all of it…” Stella trailed off when Joe raised his hand.

“She wouldn’t have, I told her not to. I was thinking about a lot of things and not able to express them and they wouldn’t let me write… and that was one of the issues that was going on.” Joe shrugged scratching at his head, “but what happened with all your time?”

“Went to college, had a boyfriend, didn’t have a boyfriend, graduated, travelled, became a Graphic Designer.” Stella shrugged, “Nothing too exciting or fun.”

“Sounds like me…” Joe shrugged looking at Stella with a small smile.

“Trohman!” Stella exclaimed pointing her finger at him, “You’re in a band… a huge band… that has a massive following. You’ve been all over the world with that band.” 

“It’s fucking exciting and enthralling and one of the best feelings ever, but there was always something missing.” Joe shrugged turning away from her.

Stella was just about to say something as she felt a raindrop on her. She looked up at the sky and sighed, looking back down at her feet.

“Trust me… I know all about that. Why do you think it didn’t last with my most serious boyfriend?” Stella turned to look at Joe, but he was already looking at her with his eyebrow raised.

“Because literally no one else can compare to you?” Joe choked out coughing.

“First off… no. You should just go bother and ask him that…” Stella trailed off looking at her feet.

“I’d probably beat the shit out of him… or try to…” Joe shrugged, getting ready to stand back up on the walking part of the bridge, “Let’s go somewhere where we won’t get rained on.”

Stella nodded and took Joe’s hand that he was holding out for her. After she was standing beside him she let go of his hand briefly to take his other hand so they could walk side by side. He laced his fingers through hers and sighed.

“I’m going to go ahead and assume this is okay…” Joe trailed off looking at her, as her cheeks turned pink.

“Obviously…” Stella said softly, barely audible, “I’m just really happy I ran into you today. I wasn’t expecting it at all and…” 

“And?” Joe asked looking at her questioningly.

“Do you want the fun stuff or serious stuff?” Stella asked with her eyes wide.

“Fun, obviously. We can do serious another time.” Joe smirked running his free hand through his hair.

Stella stopped, pulling him to the side behind a bunch of trees. She had thought about these moments in her life forever. If she ever ran into him again what would happen. Would they still have the chemistry they always had? Would they still be complementary to each other? So much had happened to both of them since they had last talked to each other, but how did that affect them now? They hadn’t stopped talking about anything at all since they ran into each other this morning and all of her old feelings about him and them had come flooding back to her immediately as if they’d spent no time apart.

“Well Trohman… for not seeing you for forever, I do have to say you look pretty damn amazing.” Stella whispered softly into his ear.

His eyes widened immediately as a smirk crossed his lips, “You’re not so bad looking yourself Stells.” 

“When did you decide about this?” Stella asked pointing to his long hair as a smile crossed his face.

“When we came back from the hiatus.” Joe shrugged, “I just didn’t really care what I looked like any longer.”

“Same with the stubble?” Stella raised her eyebrow crossing her arms in front of her.

“That’s been on and off for a while… I had a beard for a minute.” Joe shrugged, “Let's talk more about you though…”

“Me?” Stella asked leaning against the trees, “What about me?” 

“I mean… you’re pretty amazing looking yourself.” Joe shrugged, sticking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, “Have you looked at yourself lately?”

“I make it a rule to not really do that…” Stella shrugged looking at her feet.

“You should do it more, you’re beautiful.” Joe shook his head shocked, “I mean you were beautiful before… but you grew up amazingly Stells.” 

Stella blushed and kept looking down at her feet. She looked up when he cleared his throat, his eyes looking dazed.

“This could be a complete long shot… but would you go to Dani’s party with me?” Joe asked, a look of panic crossing over his face like he had been thinking it but wasn’t ever wanting to say it, “I mean, as a date? Because it feels like there’s nothing changed between us, but so much has. And you’re not here long… and I just don’t want to miss any opportunity to spend time with you, or have anyone else get your attention…”

Joe trailed off when Stella’s hand was waving around for him to stop talking. She couldn’t help but smirk because his lisp was so strong but he reminded her of a teenager asking his first girlfriend out for a date.

“Of course I’ll go with you…” Stella laughed, “As like a date. And you don’t have to worry about anyone else having my attention.”

“I can take you out before and we can kind of make a half day out of it. We can hang out somewhere, talk some more…”

Stella was about to agree when there was a loud clap of thunder causing her to yelp a little bit. Joe laughed taking her hand again and squeezing it tightly.

“Still scared of storms?” Joe laughed pulling her from under the tree, “We should get you back to Dani’s.”

The two ran through Millennium Park holding hands as fast as they could, every time there was thunder both of them screaming. It wasn’t that long of a way to get to Dani’s place, but soon it started pouring down on them.

After a few minutes he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and looked at her. He pushed his hair back away from his face revealing his sideburns. Stella felt her heart jump when he looked at her.

“Do you want to do something tomorrow? I’ve got to stay up doing some writing but other then that I’ve got nothing going on.” Joe asked gulping. He didn’t have long to spend time with her, and definitely didn’t want to take her away from doing other things, but he wanted to spend every single minute with her that he could.

“I’m definitely free tomorrow. I’ll just stay up late answering some emails so I don’t have to tomorrow.” Stella said looking at him wide eyed. 

Joe looked relieved as he took her hand again and started to run pulling her behind him as she caught up to his side. She poked his cheek with her finger when she caught up as they kept running.

Finally they reached where Dani lived and stopped. It was pouring and the two of them were completely soaked and shivering. Stella gave Joe a quick hug and picked up some of his hair that had started to curl from the rain.

“Your hair looks good like that Trohman.” Stella said smiling at him as it continued to rain on them.

“I’ll text you tomorrow when I’m on my way to get you.” Joe said wrapping his arms around her. They held each other for a minute as it continued to rain, the storm picking up again.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Stella said quietly. She looked into his eyes for a second before smiling and leaning in to kiss him, pulling away just as quickly.

The next few minutes went by so quickly that she couldn’t remember getting into Dani’s place, closing the door behind her and leaning on the door until she realized she was dripping water all over the hardwood floors. She had no idea Dani was even home until she heard someone clear their throat as she was toweling off and putting dry clothes on. 

She looked up and noticed Dani standing in the door as she brushed out her hair.

“Did you get stuck in the storm?” Dani asked confused.

Stella blushed and sighed, “Yeah at Millennium it started storming.”

Dani nodded her head smirking, “How’s Joe?”

Stella blushed more deeply, “He’s Joe.”

“Stella it’s been 12 years and all I get is it’s ‘He’s Joe?’” Dani laughed shaking her head. 

“I mean he hasn’t changed much… but I like adult Joe.” Stella blushed, “A lot.”

“You ran into him accidentally and you…” Dani started but was hushed by Stella raising her hand slightly.

“All that chemistry we had as kids… all the pressure around us… all the flirting and compliments… it all came back.” Stella said putting her glasses back on, “It’s just all there, like it never left.”

“And now?” Dani asked leaning against the spare room doorway.

“And now… now I just want to spend all my time with him. I could just listen to him talk for hours… about guitars, his band, the weather. Doesn’t matter… I just want to spend time with him.” Stella sighed as she sat down on the bed, “I did not think this would be happening when I came out here.”

“He probably had no idea either.” Dani shrugged as she started to turn away.

“I kissed him.” Stella rushed out after a few seconds knowing her friend was already down the hall.

“Wait!” Dani yelled before turning back, running to the spare room doorway, “Did you say you kissed him?”

Stella hung her head and nodded, “Yeah I have no idea what came over me… I’m not usually like that.”

“Did he kiss you back?” Dani asked with her eyebrow raised leaning against the door again.

“No because I ran off to come inside. I probably just ruined absolutely everything. Go me!” Stella said shaking her head, water from the storm outside still running down her face.

***

“Come on Patrick… let me in!” Joe yelled at the door as he pounded his fist on it again.

“Damnit Joe.” Patrick said swinging the door open, “Why are you soaked?”

“Don’t even ask..” Joe shook his head.

“You’re damn right I’m going to ask when you show up here soaking wet… dripping water all over my hardwood floor.” Patrick rolled his eyes adjusting his glasses.

“Save yourself the effort, I don’t want to talk about it…” Joe trailed off, “I only stopped here because it’s closer than my place and I figured I could wait out this damn storm.”

Patrick looked at him wide eyes and shook his head rolling his eyes, “There's stuff in the spare room.”

Joe headed that way and sighed. It’s not like him and Patrick were the same height and could fit each other’s clothes, it was that everyone left extra stuff at Patrick’s all the time, or in the tour bus, the recording studio… just anywhere in general. Patrick seemed to be the only one that knew where all the extra things were and just kept them since people usually came to his place more than anything.

“I forgot I had this red shirt.” Joe shrugged throwing it on as he walked back into the living room.

“Did you get stranded in the rain?” Patrick asked shrugging.

“Sure that sounds good.” Joe nodded his head sitting down on the sofa.

There was a silence between them while Joe looked down at his hands. He was about to say something when Patrick interrupted him.

“Look we could sit here and watch you look at your hands all night, or you could tell me what happened so by the time the rain stops you’ll have told me and I won’t have to pester you for information any longer.” 

Joe cleared his throat and looked up at Patrick awkwardly, “I ran into Stella man. Something I didn’t think would ever happen, or that I was prepared for to happen.” 

“Stella from high school?” Patrick asked tilting his head, “You never shut up about her, so much that I’m surprised you’ve ever had other girlfriends.” 

“Not fucking helping!” Joe swore, trying not to let his lisp get too heavy.

“Sorry...sorry. Tell me what happened.” Patrick said looking at Joe, “I know a bit about this kind of thing.”

Joe rolled his eyes and started to play with the lighter he had moved from his wet clothes to his dry clothes. He leaned forward resting his arms on his knees and sighed.

“I ran into her at Starbucks, literally ran into her. We started talking and just hung out the whole day.” Joe sighed looking at his hands.

“I’m not sure of the issue here Joe. You’ve wanted to see her for years and now here she is.” Patrick scratches his head confused.

“I mean… I guess there isn’t one except she’s only here a week.” Joe shrugged.

“Huh… does she want to see you again?” Patrick questioningly.

“I would certainly hope so… after she said she wanted to hang out tomorrow and go with me to Dani’s party.” Joe shook his head.

“Oh her birthday is this weekend?” Patrick asked trying to act as confused as he possibly could. 

Joe rolled his eyes again and sighed, “Shemayhavekissedme.” 

“She what?” Patrick asked shocked, “You guys haven’t seen each other in 12 years or whatever it’s been and she kisses you? Did you kiss her back?”

“I need a smoke.” Joe said standing up pulling his cigarettes out of his pocket and flipping his lighter as he pushed his way onto Patrick’s relatively big balcony.

“Joe come on… you don’t need… alright maybe you do.” Patrick sighed leaning against the doorway.

“Look... all I’m saying is I was not prepared for this.” Joe said taking a long drag of his cigarette and exhaling slowly.

“I honestly don’t think you ever could have been.” Patrick shrugged, “You could think things over for probably a million years before it happens and once it happens it might not even be how you thought of it.”

Joe closed his eyes taking another puff of his cigarette and exhaling it, keeping his eyes closed for a minute before turning to look at Patrick.

“It’s not… exactly how I had ever thought of it happening. I just want to spend every single second with her so much that I’m willing to toss all my patience, that I thought I would have, away.” Joe took one more drag from his cigarette before tossing it in the bucket that Patrick left outside for people that came over all the time.

“Well… if she doesn’t have a problem with it go for it. We all make stupid mistakes sometimes, but a lot of those can be fixed.” Patrick shrugged, “Look it stopped raining…”

“Speak for yourself.” Joe mumbled before gathering his stuff and walking out Patrick’s front door.


End file.
